Putting things in perspective

Women empowerment has become a major theme of contemporary India owing both to government and civil society efforts. The recent vogue India video starring Deepika Padukone is one such initiative which keeps the spotlight on women empowerment, even while differing where exactly that light falls  (For some its education, for some its family life, for some its dowry issues).

So criticism for such campaign, for any campaign actually, is only natural and beneficial in that it provides for a better understanding about the whole issue by putting things in certain perspective. But I feel there is a lack of certain perspective on the internet, which I will try to write about by addressing some of the criticism that the video has faced.

On being Elitist:

Of course it is elitist. It is produced by Vogue India (A corporate fashion powerhouse) and starred by Deepika Padukone. But I don’t see why a campaign should not be elitist, especially when there are various aspects of the whole women empowerment ,all of which needs to be addressed, some through education, some through positive rights such as reservation and some by giving women the right over their bodies.

Besides, the video actually acts as a kind of instant empowerment for elite women (Whether it is the empowerment you wish the women to have is other issue). Bold initiatives such as these, which are mostly symbolic, provide for physiological power. Remember Barack Obama and Guard of honour led by women?

On being Hypocritical:

Sure, the video is hypocritical for every guy who looks at women as an equal partner both in personal and public life. But such is not the case in majority of elite India. Women are still to larger extent are seen as inferior and when SEBI mandated the corporate houses to have at least one woman on board of directors, they did that at the very end, like the very very end.

So you should be proud of yourself but you should also realize that you are still in a minority.

On being amoralistic:

This is perhaps is the most intriguing of all the criticism. Are you using reasons such as the morality that the video teaches to kids, cherry pick words like adultery  as a cover to advance your idea that women should not have the that kind of right over their body (Simply put, sex before marriage)? Would you not want to have sex before marriage, would you not want your son to have many girlfriends and be a macho while hoping your girl to be conservative (Not rural conservative but elite conservative)?

But for everyone who is genuinely concerned about moral aspects of the campaign, you are right to criticize it and keep doing it for as long as you hold that views. But just know that your support base is not as moralistic as you are.

Concluding, the  video makes perfect sense when seen in the context of the mentality of majority of Indian men . What makes more sense is the criticism that it faces.